Refiner case structure



Filed Feb. 10. 1961 Sept- 22, 1964 J. E. IRVINE ETAL 3,149,794

REFINER CASE STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS rmmw P 1964 J. E. IRVINE ETAL 3,149,794

REFINERCASE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 10, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i m W United States Patent 3,149,794 REFINER CASE STRUCTURE James E. Irvine and Donald P. Michel, Springfield, Ohio, assignors to The Bauer Bros. (30., Springfield, Ohio, a

corporation of ()hio Filed Feb. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 88,439 7 Claims. (Cl. 241285) This invention relates to improvements in case structure having particular application to pulp refiner equipment. It will be illustratively described herein with reference to enclosures for disc refiners. However, it should be obvious therefrom that its application is not so limited.

The conventional pulp refiner is provided with a base including means defining an opening therethrough to accommodate a gravity discharge of refined stock. The refiner elements per se are generally oriented over such opening and enclosed in a hood or casing which seats to the base about the opening. In this way the refined stock is forced to follow a controlled path from the refiner elements through the base and to a lower level for further processing. Due to the fluid nature of the stock and its chemical content all joints in the hood or casing must be carefully sealed, as well as the joint between the hood and the base to which it is applied. Also the portion of the base which defines the discharge opening must be lined with stainless steel or its equivalents to avoid attack by the chemicals in the stock. This hood or casing provided for the refiner elements must be rugged since it is generally subject to vibration and shock transmitted during refiner operation. Thus, the nature of the mount provided for the hood and its necessarily rugged character make it inherently difficult to balance. This results in undesirable side effects on the operating life of the refiner components with which it is associated.

The present invention provides improved casings for refiner elements and the like which avoid the objection able features noted with respect to prior art casings and their use. It enables the production of a lightweight casing which is economical to fabricate and easier to install. Moreover, such casing provides for a novel balanced mount thereof to render it free of applied load such as might have undesirable effects on the operating equipment with which it is associated. It also enables the use of a cheaper base structure for the refiner equipment with which it is employed.

A primary object of the invention is to provide improvements in casings for refiner elements and the like rendering such structure more economical to fabricate, more efiicient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications and unlikely to require any significant degree of maintenance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved casing for refiners facilitating a balanced mount ing thereof, rendering it substantially free of applied loads.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved casing for power driven operating elements which is light in weight and facilitates the inspection, maintenance and adjustment of the equipment enclosed thereby.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved casing for pulp refiner elements and the like which obviates the need for specially prepared joints or liners of associated equipment.

Another object of the invention is to enable an improved enclosure for refiner elements which substantially reduces the normal maintenance required in refiner operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a refiner casing possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 shows an end elevation of a refiner case structure in accordance With the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, partially in section;

FIG. 4 is a sectional View showing the improved mount for a refiner case as provided by the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

The invention can be best described with particular reference to its form and application shown in the accompanying drawings.

As shown, the case structure in accordance with the invention is applied with reference to the base 1 of a pulp refiner unit. The base 1 includes a framework 2 defining a discharge opening 3 therethrough immediately below opposed refiner discs 4 and 5. The discs 4 and 5 are respectively fixed to the adjacent extremities of shaft elements 6 and 7 for relative rotation in a conventional manner. The shaft elements 6 and 7 are bearingly supported on the base 1 and project through opposed apertures in a casing g which is constructed in accordance with the invention to provide an enclosure for the discs 4 and 5. The opposite sides of base 1 adjacent the discharge opening 3 have identical vertically projected parallel side rails 9. It is noted that only so much of the refiner unit is illustrated as is essential to the disclosure of the present invention.

The casing 8 includes mating hood sections 10 forming its uppermost portion and a chute section 11 forming its lowermost portion.

The hood sections 10 in effect constitute quadrants having a generally rectangular outline. They include parallel faces 12 and 13 having radially oriented externally projected reinforcing ribs 14. Upon joining the sections it) to form a hood over and about the upper halves of the discs 4 and 5 by means of external flanges 15 at their mating portions, the faces 12 and 13 are .respectively disposed in adjacent spaced relation to the remote surfaces of the discs 4 and 5. As so oriented, the uppermost edges of the faces 12 and 13 are connected by plate sections 16 While their most remote edges are connected by plates 17 which are arranged to converge slightly in an upward sense.

While the hood of casing 8 is formed by two casing segments 10, the chute section 11 is a single tube-like element which is rectangular in horizontal cross-section. The chute section 11 connects with hood sections 10 by means of mating horizontally projected external flange sections 18 at their respectively adjacent extremities. The flange sections 18 are suitably connected. The parallel faces 12' and 13' of the chute section are respectively substantially co-planar with the faces 12 and 13 of the hood sections 10. From points equally spaced below flanges 18, the sides 19 of the chute section taper inwardly to points below the discs 4 and 5, from which points the sides extend in parallel relation to define a discharge spout together with the portions of the chute section providing faces 12 and 13'. The dependent extremity of the chute thus forms a spout which is provided with an external flange 20.

The mating faces 12 and 12' and 13 and 13' of the respective sections of casing 8 together define central apertures through which shaft elements 6 and 7 project. Suitable seals are of course provided about the shaft elements at these central apertures, the shaft elements being disposed in bearing relation thereto. As seen in FIG. of the drawings, a feed chute 21 leads to one of these apertures and provides the seal through which the one shaft element 6 projects.

It may be seen from the drawings that the casing 8 so formed provides projecting flange portions 18 in a medial horizontal plane thereof by means of which the entire casing is balanced on the base rails 9. It also provides a complete enclosure about and in spaced relation to the discs 4 and 5. As thus positioned in balanced relation to the rails 9, the casing 8 has its dependent chute portion projected through the discharge opening 3 in base 1, clear of and in spaced relation to the framework 2.

The casing so provided by the invention is inherently free of applied loads which would be attendant a conventional mount thereof to the base 1. It is balanced in both a static and dynamic sense by its medial flange mounting. In this manner any undesirable effect of refiner vibration and shock is substantially eliminated, enabling the casing 8 to be formed of lightweight, inexpensive materials. This not only reduces capital cost but renders refiner maintenance easier and less costly. In addition, the character and orientation of chute 11 eliminates contact of refined stock with the base 1, thus obviating the need for jointing the case to the base or lining the framework 2 at the discharge opening. The net result is a substantial reduction in refiner cost and maintenance and an increase in its operating efficiency. Since the case does not reflect any significant shock or vibration incident to refiner operation, it reduces the reactive efiect thereof on the refiner components and enables them to have a longer and more effective operating life.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Refiner apparatus including, a base, means defining a discharge opening therethrough, vertically projected supports thereon to opposite sides of said opening, refiner discs positioned over said opening in elevated spaced relation to said base, a refiner case structure including a hood and a chute section positioned to form an enclosure about and in spaced relation to said refiner discs, means defining opposed apertures in said case structure for free extension therethrough of shaft means mounting said discs to said base independent of said case structure and means balancing said case structure on said vertically projected supports in elevated spaced relation to said base to have its chute section depend through said discharge opening free of said base.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said balancing means define a medial horizontal plane through said case structure.

3. Refiner apparatus including, a base, means defining vertically projected supports on said base, refiner means positioned intermediate said supports in elevated spaced relation to said base, a hood and chute means forming an enclosure containing said refiner means, means balancing said enclosure on said vertically projected supports in elevated relation to said base and in a condition of static and dynamic balance, and means mounting said refiner means to said base for support thereof independently of said hood and chute section of said en closure and for relative movement thereof interiorly of said enclosure.

4. Refiner apparatus including a base having an opening therethrough, refiner means positioned over said opening, means defining vertically projected standards oriented to opposite sides of said opening, a casing consisting of mating quadrants forming a hood for said refiner means, chute means connected to depend from said hood and form therewith an enclosure about said refiner means including laterally projecting means mounting said enclosure to said standards for support thereof in elevated relation to said base and in a condition of static and dynamic balance, said enclosure accommodating the free projection therethrough of means for supporting said refiner means on said base independently of said hood and chute means, the opening in said base accommodating said chute means to depend therethrough with clearance therebetween.

5. In combination with a base having a discharge opening, a case including a hood and chute section, means defining apertures at opposite sides of said case for free passage therethrough of shaft elements, means supporting said shaft elements on said base independent of said case and for rotation relative thereto, said shaft elements projecting interiorly of said case, refiner elements mounted on adjacent ends of said shaft elements interiorly of the case and supported thereby on said base and independently of said case and means mounting said case in elevated relation to said base and in a condition of static and dynamic balance free of influence of vibrations from said shaft elements and the refiner elements thereon.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 5 characterized by at least said hood section including reinforcements which are oriented radially with reference to said apertures.

7. The structure as set forth in claim 5 characterized by said hood section being formed of at least two mating parts including portions defining said apertures and having reinforcements oriented radially with reference thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 283,328 Cutler Aug. 14, 1883 660,699 Foley Oct. 30, 1900 2,156,321 Sutherland May 2, 1939 2,417,078 Jones Mar. 11, 1947 2,757,872 Rehwald et al. Aug. 7, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 820,952 Germany Apr. 21, 1952 

1. REFINER APPARATUS INCLUDING, A BASE, MEANS DEFINING A DISCHARGE OPENING THERETHROUGH, VERTICALLY PROJECTED SUPPORTS THEREON TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OPENING, REFINER DISCS POSITIONED OVER SAID OPENING IN ELEVATED SPACED RELATION TO SAID BASE, A REFINER CASE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A HOOD AND A CHUTE SECTION POSITIONED TO FORM AN ENCLOSURE ABOUT AND IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID REFINER DISCS, MEANS DEFINING OPPOSED APERTURES IN SAID 